Muslim leaders are calling on President Donald Trump to condemn the recent bombing of a mosque in Minnesota as a terrorist attack.
The FBI is currently pursuing the perpetrator who threw an improvised explosive device through the imam’s office window, at Dar Al Farooq mosque in Bloomington.
Police were called after 5am on Saturday after reports of an explosion were heard as worshippers prepared for fajr prayers.
The explosion damaged a room and shattered windows, but no one was injured.
The governor of Minnesota, Mark Dayton, visited the mosque on Sunday morning and described the attack as a “criminal act of terrorism”.
He also said it was an “unthinkable, unforgivable” hate crime.
He added: “What a terrible, dastardly, cowardly act was committed.”
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However, President Trump has been heavily criticised for not commenting on the incident.
The FBI has said that they are in the process of determining whether the incident was a hate crime, while Muslim leaders said the bombing had left them fearful of similar attacks in the future.
The mosque’s director, Mohammed Omar said: “We feel like it’s much deeper and scarier than like something random. It’s so scary.”
Dar Al Farooq mosque was opened in 2011 and hosts Muslims primarily from the area’s large Somali community.
Minnesota has the largest Somali community in the US (around 57,000), according to the latest census figures.
A statement released on Saturday by the US Department of Homeland Security stated that they, “fully supports the rights of all to freely and safely worship the faith of their choosing and we vigorously condemn such attacks on any religious institution”.
The bombing came amid increased reports of Islamophobic hate crimes, including vandalism and arson attacks at mosques and Islamic centres.
Last week, an Islamic cemetery in Minnesota was sprayed with swastikas and profanities.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has offered a $10,000 (£7,700) reward for any information leading to the capture and conviction of the bomber.
They have called for Islamic centres and mosques across the US to improve their security in light of the Minnesota bomb attack.
